BMW, Jaguar - Land Rover to expand partnership beyond EV parts?

BMW will allegedly supply JLR with piston engines.

BMW and Jaguar - Land Rover recently announced plans to collaborate on electric motors. The two companies will expand their partnership to include piston engines, too, according to sources familiar with the negotiations.

Insiders told British magazine Autocar that the tie-up between the luxury automakers will be expanded into "a more far-reaching deal involving [gasoline], diesel, and hybridized drivelines" for a variety of models. While the tie-up is being hailed as a partnership, it sounds more like a supply deal to us. The same sources added that BMW will supply Jaguar - Land Rover with engines, and there's little indication the British firm will play any role in research and development.

Call it a win-win partnership, call it a one-sided supply deal, or call it a fair tie-up. Regardless, the move will help BMW offset the rising cost of developing piston engines while allowing Jaguar - Land Rover -- which is still standing on shaky financial foundations -- to keep the budget of its research and development department in check. There's no word yet on whether Jaguar - Land Rover will receive, four-, six-, and/or eight-cylinder engines.

Neither side has commented on the report. If it's accurate, we expect an official announcement will be made before the Frankfurt auto show opens its doors in the middle of September. The first BMW-powered Land Rover and Jaguar models likely won't arrive until the early 2020s, though.

If this rings a bell, remember that BMW owned Land Rover between 1994 and 2000. The Range Rover was notably available with a BMW-sourced V8 engine.